Last year, Sanjay Takale made history as the first Indian driver to complete the Dakar Rally. He’s now kicked off his 2026 campaign on a strong note, taking victory in the Dakar Classic H3 group with a Toyota Land Cruiser HDJ100.
All three Hero MotoSports riders, as well as Indian privateer Jatin Jain, also made it through the first stage. Unfortunately, TVS-backed Harith Noah was forced to retire after suffering a crash in the dust.
- Sanjay Takale P22 overall in Dakar Classic after Stage 1
- Cornejo P6, Branch P7, Ebster P14 for Hero
- Jatin Jain completes Stage 1 in P109
Dakar 2026 Stage 1 results
Sanjay Takale wins in Dakar Classic H3 class
Takale is once again competing in the Dakar Classic category featuring cars manufactured from 1986 to 2005. These cars compete on a separate route, and unlike the other Dakar categories, where the goal is to finish each stage with the fastest time, Dakar Classic follows a regularity rally format. The goal here is to complete each stage in a specified time and at a specified average speed.
Dakar Classic is further divided into four groups – H1 for low average speed vehicles, H2 for moderate average speed, H3 for intermediate average speed and H4 for high average speed. Driving a Toyota Land Cruiser HDJ100, with support from team Compagnie Saharienne, Takale topped the H3 group in the Prologue, as well as Stage 1. This also places him P22 in the overall Dakar Classic standings.
Hero MotoSports in top 10
Hero MotoSports’s Ross Branch was fastest in the bikes category but was hit with a six-minute penalty for speeding, which dropped him to P7. His teammate Jose Ignacio ‘Nacho’ Cornejo finished just ahead, in sixth place. Both of them are less than five minutes adrift of the overall lead, and given the ever-changing nature of the Dakar Rally, there will be plenty of chances to recover lost time.
It was a tough Stage 1 for Tobias Ebster, with a sandstorm erasing the tracks ahead of him. As a result, he had to rely on his navigational skills and secured a strong P14 finish. This also places him fourth in the Rally2 standings.
Harith Noah retires; Jatin Jain P109
Two Indian riders are competing in the Dakar Rally this year. Jain returns for his second go at the Dakar Rally, this time with a lot more experience on his Kove 450 Rally bike. The Indian privateer admitted it was a “brutal day”, but he successfully completed Stage 1. He’s currently P109 in the overall standings and P94 in the Rally2 class.
Noah’s Dakar 2026 run came to a premature end after he suffered a crash in the dust. As per the latest update shared by his team, Sherco, Noah is undergoing medical examinations at a hospital in Jeddah.
Edgar Canet, Guillaume de Mevius take lead after Stage 1
KTM’s Edgar Canet, who won the Rally2 title last year, inherited victory in Stage 1 after Branch’s penalty. He’s currently just 1 minute 02 seconds ahead of his teammate and reigning Dakar winner Daniel Sanders. Honda’s Ricky Brabec is third overall, just 30 seconds behind Sanders.
Over in the Cars category, X-Raid Mini’s Guillaume de Mevius and co-driver Mathieu Baumel topped Stage 1. Dacia’s Nasser Al-Attiyah is second overall, just 40 seconds behind, while Martin Prokop finished third in a customer Ford Raptor.
